New In | Nivea Sun Face Range

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I am the first to admit that whilst going about my business I don't tend to apply a separate SPF, instead relying on those within my skincare and make up comfortable that I spend most of day inside. Recent months I've been less inclined to follow that rule thanks to the glorious sunshine we were experiencing in the UK and acknowledging I needed to add more protection for those lunches in local beer gardens or weekends spent sitting in my parents garden.

As if hearing my internal monologue the postman answered my prayers and I received products from the new Nivea Sun V Face range. The Nivea 'New UV Face innovation' has been specifically formulated for the face and has a '0% white residue'.

My favourite from Nivea Sun Q10 Anti-Age and Anti-Pigment Face Cream and Sun Moisture Mousse is the former. The Face cream is lightweight as they suggest and if I don't become too carried away and find the right amount to apply it sinks in nicely and the white cast is momentary.

I'm always concerned with SPF Face Creams and experiencing breakouts but even with my sporadic double cleansing and attention to an evening skincare regime there were none to speak of. It felt light to apply but

The Nivea Sun Moisture Mousse had just a little too much stickiness on application for my liking and I've popped aside to share with my male holiday friends in Dubai next month, the Face Cream will be part of my skincare regime and I will definitely be happy to repurchase when I need a new one.

Another summer sun saviour from Nivea is their updated deodorant range. Who new deodorant cans needed ergonomic designs but they do indeed have one. A new feature I didn't expect to love or need so much is the 'twist to lock' feature. Nothing so new there you'd think but I can't tell you the number of products I spend more time twisting and untwisting trying to work out whether it has indeed locked whereas in this case it actually clicks into place so there is no uncertainty.

I usually favour a stick deodorant but in they can leave you feeling a little wet and throw in the recent humidity a spray was more effective and I was pleased to have Nivea Dry Fresh Deodorant to hand. Again I expected to be battling sweat thanks to humidity and the inferno that is the central line but I was rather impressed, and I'm not suggesting it was foolproof because again, that humidity but Nivea Dry Fresh did hold it's own.

Thank you Nivea for helping me battle the recent heatwave

New Fragrance Launch | LK Bennett Signature

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The similarities between Kate Middleton and myself begin and end with both being a fan of LK Bennett footwear - but perhaps we can now add the fact we've been wearing the same perfume as each other to that list?

Earlier this year LK Bennett launched their first ever fragrance, simply named Signature retailing for £35 and available to buy in their store celebrating their 'timeless heritage'. The fragranced is housed in typical classic LK Bennett style and I was impressed just by the weight of the lid - often used to what looks luxury what crack simply from over zealous pulling off of the stopper.

The scent of Signature is interesting and not something I would typically be drawn to, nor if I'm honest is it one I favour with top notes of citrus, pepper and rhubarb, heart notes of rose, jasmine and ylang yland and base notes of warm woods, dry amber, musk and vetiver that create something of a heady scent which I can't easily pinpoint to sweet or floral.

My sister-in-law was visiting when this arrived and she immediately loved it and once I had taken the necessary photos I allowed her to be tester for me and give her thoughts and she is still a fan and enjoyed wearing over the Summer. She commented on how impressed she was particularly that as the day went on she could always pick up the scent and it hadn't dissipated as they often do.

I believe the fragrance should be available to buy on the LK Bennett site but I've been unable to find it and I'm quite taken by the 'exclusivity' they're giving it that you can only find it for sale in their stores but I'll be interested to see if that changes to reach a wider audience.

Are you an LK Bennett fan?

Current Skincare Picks

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It's taken me so long to actually write today's post that all three products I'm talking about today that they are almost ready for the empties pile, with one ready to be repurchased come payday.

Micellar Lotion's were a completely unknown product to me before they started being talked about across blogs. I never quite got into the Bioderma hype taking the view, that even with my sometimes lax skincare routine that I would either cleanse 'properly' or not at all. As time has moved on I have seen the value of a micellar water even if I still can't talk about them as the most exciting product in my routine. I use them to remove eye make up before going in with my cleansing balms, oils and/or creams as a little helping hand and to avoid smearing mascara across my flannel and therefore face.

I'm comfortable with a high street micellar water but I recently had the opportunity to try from from the french pharmacy brand, Embryolisse. I enjoy Embryolisse as a brand and have recently finished using the Lait-Creme Concentrate so I was keen to see whether a £15.99 Micellar Water could excite me more than others I've tried.

Whilst we're all becoming more knowledgeable and sophisticated about products we put on our skin I'm not fully convinced we're too worried about our micellar waters but I did notice a difference between Embryolisse Micellar Lotion and my more affordable options. Usually I would remove my eye make up and head straight into cleansing and applying my serums and moisturisers but during my 'testing phase' I would use to remove all my make up and try waiting around to see how my skin felt after using and it was certainly less drying and felt 'kinder' to my skin than cheaper brands I'd used.

If money were no object, my skin were more sensitive or I used micellar lotion in my routine as a more a cleanser then I would certainly repurchase Embryolisse Micellar Lotion but as I am simply using to remove eye make up or as part of a wider skincare regime I am happy to keep using the lower end products.

On a similar theme of budget versus high end products the time came for a new facial spritz or toner in my routine. I have always opted for Liz Earle Skin Tonic Spritz but again, it's a little more than I would like to spend on a product that feels more of a pampered step of my routine rather than providing significant help. I saw Mikhila feature the Botanics Organic Rosewater Toning Spritz and for between £5 and £8 depending on what offers Boots are running it was worth giving a try and I was so glad I did.

I was worried I would hate it's scent because I'm not a fan of 'rose' but this is anything but. The rose water smells to me spa like and I get a familiar feeling of luxury like I would from using Caudalie Beauty Elixir. I am currently eeking out the final couple of sprays before I repurchase. I've seen some criticism on the brand that the once affordable price point has been creeping up but I'm comfortable with their pricing and interested to explore more, perhaps next their cleansing balm - has anyone tried it?

Finally is a product I'm a big fan of and would never had known about but for a PR reaching out to me. I first tried the What Skin Needs Hydrating Facial Serum about a year ago and find its great for my skin when its suffering dryness from the elements - whether they are self inflicted hangovers or a change in temperatures.

This is a serum you're aware you're applying, its oil like in texture and will slowly sink into skin but it is just the trick to make my skin look plump and refreshed when I'm otherwise. At £12.99 it's got a great price point and I would imagine those with extremely dry skins, or dare I suggest as we start to look forward to the Autumn and Winter seasons this is a product worth having in your arsenal.

What skin products have you been using recently?

High Street Hot Cloth Cleansers

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Liz Earle's Hot Cloth Cleanser is one of those products that has a sense of nostalgia for me as being the first product I really acknowledge using as part of a 'proper' skincare regime. It wasn't the cheapest but it felt affordable and simple. Many share my feelings as it's one of the products, and indeed brands that it seems everyone, whether a skincare junkie or not has at least tried once and wh it is up there as a cult beauty product.

Of course make a revered product and the imitations will follow and Aldi has earned a reputation of late as being the Make Up Revolution of, well just about anything these days, including their Liz Earle 'inspired' Hot Cloth Cleanser.

As an Aldi fan and in addition with this blog I had to pick up a tube last year to try for myself and was amazed at how alike both products are. In fact at the time I said if you blinded tested me I wouldn't be able to differentiate between the two. Today's post though is not to speak of the Lacura Hot Cloth Cleanser and it's comparison to Liz Earle but part empty and welcome to Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser.

As fellow Aldi shoppers will know you can't simply walking into store a pick up their hot cloth cleanser when the need arises as it's only available at various points throughout the years as a Special Buy and then you're part of the hoards fighting to pick up on release day and consider whether to stockpile. Whilst I do enjoy the Lacura Hot Cloth Cleanser I'm trying to avoid stockpiling products and when you write a blog and there are many versions on the high street to try out and use as content then it's rather unnecessary to join the bunfight.

When the time came for a new hot cloth cleanser to enter my regime I decided to try out Superdrug's Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser. This is one that's both affordable and highly spoke of by many, not least Sali Hughes and Nadine Baggott so it was a worthy contender.

It's slightly more expensive than the Lacura's £3.99 cleanser at £4.99 but it's often available at either a reduced price or currently buy one get one half price (for the stockpilers!) and the biggest draw for myself that I can simply walk into a store and purchase rather than waiting for it's next release.

I use a hot cloth cleanser for either my morning regime or as a second cleanse of an evening and it performs as I would expect. In comparison to Lacura I prefer it's consistency. It feels thicker and creamier and there's a more luxurious aspect to it's use although I do like the Lacura scent for it's familiarity.

Both products perform in the same fashion, my skin feels clean, but not dry and when I use for make up removal all traces disappear. The main differences which will aid your choice are that Lacura has a strong scent and is slightly thinner in consistency to Superdrug's thicker with a more 'clean' scent.

Now if Liz Earle could re-release the Grapefruit & Patchouli hot cloth cleanser I'll be first in the queue to purchase.

Are you a hot cloth cleanser fan?

Bronze Goddess - A High Street Dupe

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As soon as the sun starts to show it's face I reach for Estee Lauders Bronze Goddess as my 'summer scent'.  Yes it's cliched and I tried to resist jumping on the bandwagon but when I finally gave in two years ago and tried it for myself I was sold and now it makes smile whenever I wear it and reminds me and my friends of fabulous holidays over the years.

Being a Summer scent it's lighter than what I usually reach for but that doesn't make the scent any less powerful and I find even as a smoker it doesn't get lost. Only the other day someone commented on how nice I smelt and it was Bronze Goddess I was wearing.

I've mentioned Bronze Goddess on my blog many times and my usual gripe is that despite over the years them expanding the Bronze Goddess range to feature many products with the familiar scent (currently I have my eye on the Cooling Body Gelee when I head to Dubai in September) they do not have a travel version. It baffles me. A Summer scent that doesn't come in a bottle that will slide easily into even on of those crappy plastic bags you can pick up at the airport before going through security. I even purchase my favoured Chanel Mademoiselle in it's travel version as whilst not as pretty on the dressing table for travel or simply throwing into my handbag it's the practical choice.

It was Zoe who alerted me to the Next dupe, Summer Sun, available and whilst I'm reluctant to buy things simply to blog about or indeed felt the need to purchase a fragrance dupe, especially when I've just opened a brand new bottle, my interest was peaked when I saw they had a travel version for £4 - worth a try surely?

I popped into my local branch of Next and was amazed and how alike it's 'inspiration' it was and did indeed purchase the travel version. This now sits in my handbag and allows me to top up my higher end scent should I wish - even better it's not a rollerball but a spray which I prefer.

There is a whole Summer Sun range of this Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess dupe and I'm even keen to dabble in the gift sets featuring body lotion, hand cream and most tempting the body oil and mist. Whilst I can appreciate the luxury and long lasting scent from Estee Lauder for the aforementioned products I could buy them all for less than their higher end counterparts.

Whatever your feeling on dupes sometimes a more affordable version of the accompanying items can be welcome to layer your fragrance without breaking the bank. In fact it was Next Summer Sun I showed a friend only yesterday and she's subsequently gone out and purchased Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess and like me, Next Summer in it's travel size for her handbag.

Do you have a favourite scent you reach for in the Summer?